ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE FABRIC AND MANUFACTURING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREOF

• US 20130102217A1
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silveray Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Silveray Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeon, Byung-Ok
• Application Number:
  US13/521,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/182
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/00 Woven fabrics designed to make specified articles
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 13/004 with weave pattern being non-standard or providing special effects
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/00 Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/25 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/47 multicomponent, e.g. blended yarns or threads multicomponent fibres or filaments D03D15/292
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 27/06 Warp pile fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/14 Fabrics characterised by the incorporation by knitting, in one or more thread, fleece, or fabric layers, of reinforcing, binding, or decorative threads; Fabrics incorporating small auxiliary elements, e.g. for decorative purposes pile fabrics D04B21/02; non-woven fabrics in general D04H
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/20 Metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3008 Woven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3073 Strand material is core-spun [not sheath-core bicomponent strand]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3179 Woven fabric is characterized by a particular or differential weave other than fabric in which the strand denier or warp/weft pick count is specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3195 Three-dimensional weave [e.g., x-y-z planes, multi-planar warps and/or wefts, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention discloses to relates to an electrically conductive fabric, and a manufacturing method and an apparatus thereof, and more specifically to an electrically conductive fabric, and a manufacturing method and an apparatus thereof, wherein part of electrically conductive wire woven together into fabric is selectively exposed to the outside of the fabric to perform the tying of electrically conductive wires and the connection of various elements and modules quickly and conveniently, so that workability and productivity can be improved.

Claims

1. An electrically conductive fabric comprising:

multiple strands of warps arranged lengthwise;

multiple strands of wefts knitted with the warps; and

at least one strand of electrically conductive wire arranged lengthwise and woven in a planar shape,

wherein an electrically conductive wire weaving section in which the electrically conductive wire is knitted to the warp and/or weft to be bound monolithically to the electrically conductive fabric and an electrically conductive wire exposing section in which the electrically conductive wire is not knitted to the warp and/or weft but is exposed to the outside of the electrically conductive fabric by a predetermined length are repetitively formed.

2. The electrically conductive fabric of claim 1, further comprising a binding-and-releasing weft which is fed simultaneously at the time of weaving the electrically conductive wire, wherein the binding-and-releasing weft is knitted with the warp and/or weft so that the electrically conductive wire is knitted so as to be bound to the warp and/or weft in the electrically conductive wire weaving section, and is knitted with the warp and/or weft so that the electrically conductive wire is knitted so as not to be bound to the warp and/or weft in the electrically conductive wire exposing section.

3. The electrically conductive fabric of claim 1, wherein the weft includes a first warp-knitting weft which is knitted with the warp on the inside of the electrically conductive wire;

a second warp-knitting weft which is knitted with the warp so as to provide a feeding free zone which is not knitted in the range of the width corresponding to the placement width of the electrically conductive wire on the outside of the electrically conductive wire; and

a binding-and-releasing weft which is knitted with the warp so as to selectively bind the electrically conductive wire at the position corresponding to the feeding free zone, and

the binding-and-releasing weft is knitted in such a way that the electrically conductive wire is bound together to the warp and the first warp-knitting weft in the electrically conductive wire weaving section, and is knitted in the range where the electrically conductive wire is not to be bound to the warp and the first warp-knitting weft in the electrically conductive wire exposing section.

4. The electrically conductive fabric of claim 3, wherein the warp is stretchable fiber yarn so that the electrically conductive fabric has stretchability lengthwise.

5. The electrically conductive fabric of claim 3, further comprising support yarns which are woven so as to be arranged on the left and right sides along the placement path in order to prevent the twisting of the electrically conductive wire.

6. The electrically conductive fabric of any one of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive wire is woven so as to be arranged in a straight form structure or wave form structure along the direction of the warp.

7. The electrically conductive fabric of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive wire is a one bundle type wire including plural strands of insulated electrically conductive yarn, and plural strands of fiber yarn wound on the outer circumference of the electrically conductive yarn to act as a sheath.

8. The electrically conductive fabric of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive wire is a stretchable wire including a stretchable inner wire disposed in the inner center, plural strands of electrically insulated wire wound on the inner wire, and outer fiber yarn wound on the outer circumference of the electrically conductive yarn.

9. An electrically conductive fabric manufacturing method comprising a warp feeding process for feeding multiple strands of warp lengthwise, a weft feeding process for feeding multiple strands of weft, and a fabric weaving process in which the weft is knitted to the warp by a weaving machine, the method characterized by further comprising:

an electrically conductive wire feeding process for feeding at least one strand of electrically conductive wire in the weft feeding direction,

wherein the fabric weaving process includes an electrically conductive wire weaving process for weaving together the electrically conductive wire, and

wherein the electrically conductive wire weaving process includes an electrically conductive wire weaving step for knitting the electrically conductive wire with the warp, and an electrically conductive wire exposing step in which the electrically conductive wire is fed while the electrically conductive wire weaving step is under way but is made not to be knitted with the warp so that the electrically conductive wire is exposed to the outside of the electrically conductive fabric by a predetermined length.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the warp feeding process includes a binding-and-releasing weft feeding process for feeding a binding-and-releasing weft to be used for knitting the electrically conductive wire with the warp, and

in the electrically conductive wire weaving step the electrically conductive wire is knitted and bound to the warp and weft through the process of knitting and binding the binding-and-releasing weft to the warp, and

in the electrically conductive wire exposing step the binding-and-releasing weft is knitted and bound to the warp without the binding-and-releasing weft being knitted with the electrically conductive wire.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the weft feeding process includes a first weft feeding process for feeding a first warp-knitting weft which is knitted with the warp inside of the electrically conductive wire;

a second weft feeding process for feeding a second warp-knitting weft which is knitted with the warp outside of the electrically conductive wire, while providing a feeding free zone which excludes the feeding of the second warp-knitting weft in the range of the width corresponding to the placement width of the electrically conductive wire; and

a binding-and-releasing weft feeding process for feeding the binding-and-releasing weft to be used for knitting and binding the electrically conductive wire to the warp selectively at the position separated to correspond to the feeding free zone, and

the electrically conductive wire weaving step includes a process of knitting and binding the first and second warp-knitting wefts and the binding-and-releasing weft to the warp simultaneously, in such a way that the electrically conductive wire is knitted and bound to both the warp and the first warp-knitting weft by the binding-and-releasing weft, and

in the electrically conductive wire exposing step the first and second warp-knitting wefts are knitted with the warp and the binding-and-releasing weft is knitted with the warp, in such a way that the electrically conductive wire is knitted within a range in which it is not bound to the warp and the first warp-knitting weft.

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16. An electrically conductive fabric manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a warp weaving unit for weaving lengthwise multiple strands of warp fed from a warp feeding unit;

a weft weaving unit for weaving multiple strands of weft fed from a weft feeding unit;

an electrically conductive wire weaving unit for weaving at least one strand of electrically conductive wire fed from an electrically conductive wire feeding unit;

a warp guiding unit which pulls the warp on the side of the warp weaving unit to make possible the weaving action of the warp, weft and electrically conductive wire through interaction between the weft weaving unit and the electrically conductive wire weaving unit, and

a weaving unit driving device which operates the warp weaving unit, the weft weaving unit, the electrically conductive wire weaving unit and the warp guiding unit to knit the weft in the direction perpendicular to the warp, and selectively knits the electrically conductive wire with the warp.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the weaving unit driving device is composed so as to regulate selectively the action areas of the weft weaving unit and the electrically conductive wire weaving unit to carry out weaving in such a way that an electrically conductive wire weaving section in which the electrically conductive wire is knitted with the warp and/or weft to be bound monolithically to the electrically conductive fabric, and an electrically conductive wire exposing section in which the electrically conductive wire is not knitted with the warp and/or weft but is exposed to the outside of the electrically conductive fabric by a predetermined length are repetitively formed.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the warp weaving unit includes a plurality of warp needles positioned on a first support installed laterally of a frame to be threaded with the warp,

the electrically conductive wire weaving unit includes at least one electrically conductive wire needle positioned on a second support installed laterally from above the warp weaving unit to be threaded with the electrically conductive wire,

the weft weaving unit includes a plurality of weft needles positioned on a third support installed laterally in contact with the second support to be threaded with the weft,

the warp guiding unit includes a plurality of pull needles positioned on a fourth support installed laterally in opposition to the first support to hook and pull the warp threaded into the warp needle, and

the weaving unit driving device is connected so as to transmit the driving force to the first to the fourth supports to have the first support make translational motion upward and downward, and have the second and the third supports make translational motion laterally and upward and downward, and have the fourth support make translational motion forward and backward.

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23. An electrically conductive fabric manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a warp weaving unit for weaving lengthwise multiple strands of warp fed from a warp feeding unit;

a first weft weaving unit which is positioned on one side of the electrically conductive wire weaving unit to weave with the warp the multiple strands of the first warp-knitting weft fed from the weft feeding unit so as to form one side face of the electrically conductive fabric;

a second weft weaving unit which is positioned on the other side of the electrically conductive wire weaving unit to weave with the warp the multiple strands of the second warp-knitting weft fed from the weft feeding unit so as to form the other side face of the electrically conductive fabric;

a warp guiding unit which is positioned in opposition so as to pull the warp on the side of the warp weaving unit, and operates so that the warp, the first and second warp-knitting wefts and electrically conductive wire are knitted through interaction between the first and second weaving units and the electrically conductive wire weaving unit; and

a weaving unit driving device which operates the warp weaving unit, the first and second weft weaving units, the electrically conductive wire weaving unit and the warp guiding unit so that the first and second warp-knitting wefts is knitted in the direction perpendicular to the warp and the electrically conductive wire is knitted selectively in the warp direction.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the weaving unit driving device is composed so as to regulate selectively the action areas of the first and second weft weaving unit and the electrically conductive wire weaving unit to carry out weaving in such a way that an electrically conductive wire weaving section in which the electrically conductive wire is knitted with the warp and/or the first and second warp-knitting weft to be bound monolithically to the electrically conductive fabric, and an electrically conductive wire exposing section in which the electrically conductive wire is not knitted with the warp and/or the first and second warp-knitting weft but is exposed to the outside of the electrically conductive fabric by a predetermined length are repetitively formed.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the warp weaving unit includes a plurality of warp needles positioned on a first support installed laterally of a frame to be threaded with the warp,

the electrically conductive wire weaving unit includes at least one electrically conductive wire needle positioned on a second support installed laterally from above the warp weaving unit to be threaded with the electrically conductive wire,

the first weft weaving unit includes a plurality of weft needles positioned on a third-a support installed laterally to be threaded with the first warp-knitting weft,

the second weft weaving unit includes a plurality of weft needles positioned on a third-b support installed laterally to be threaded with the second warp-knitting weft,

the warp guiding unit includes a plurality of pull needles positioned on a fourth support installed laterally to hook and pull the warp threaded into the warp needle, and

the weaving unit driving device is connected so as to transmit the driving force to the first to the fourth supports to have the first support make translational motion upward and downward, and have the second, the third-a and the third-b supports make translational motion laterally and upward and downward, and have the fourth support make translational motion forward and backward.

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